A Case of Mistaken Identity Or Is It?
by Princess Eowyn of Nowhere
Summary: Siani, youngest princess of tortall, is missing. In the nontortall world, a strange, blind girl has been found. She has no past memory. A connection?
1. Prologue

Disclaimer: Siani belongs to me, everyone else belongs to Tamora Pierce. This isn't meant to offend her, just show my appreciation for her work.

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Prologue

Eleven-year-old Princess Siani, the youngest daughter of Thayet and Jonathan of Tortall muffled a groan when a speech spell began in front of her. Resisting the urge to bolt for the window, she touched the spell with her small multicoloured gift. It was a swirl of blue, green, and purple and not really strong enough for anything, except a bit of light.

The speech spell was sent by King Jonathan.

"Siani, could you please come to my library now." Ordinarily Siani would have argued or complained that she was busy, something in her father's manner was worrying. He was trying to sound normal, but was a lot more serious than most times.

"Okay, Father," Siani replied, to which he nodded, gave a strained smile and ended the spell. Frowning, Siani headed for the door.

Once outside her door, Siani was startled as Eda Bell, the Shang Wildcat and Hakuin Seastone, the Shang Horse flanked her.

"What are you doing?" Siani asked.

"We are under instructions to escort you to the king's library." Hakuin said, grimmer than Siani had ever seen him.

Smirking, Siani joked, "thanks very much, but I think I know the way. Or are my parents worried I'm not going to show?"

"It is for your protection." Siani started to get worried. The Shangs didn't usually exaggerate.

"Protection from what?" Siani demanded, turning on the spoiled princess act.

"That would be best left for your parents to explain," was the only answer she got.

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In the king's library, Jonathan told Siani the news. A spy in another country had reported threats of them kidnapping someone - Siani. Eyes growing wider, Siani asked, "why they would want to kidnap me?"

"To use you as a tool against us," Jonathan said, grave-faced. "The Shangs and every other person in the palace has been warned to look out for you. You are not to go to the city, or outside the palace. I doubt they will attempt a kidnapping in the palace."

Siani nodded, scared now. "You can go," The King said and Siani headed out the door.

As she was walking through the halls of the palace, Siani now noticed all of the people around, all looking very wary. The Shangs behind her were tensed and Siani herself was very alert. Ready to put into practice all of the fighting skill taught to her by various people.

Just before they reached Siani's door, she and the Shangs suddenly found it hard to move.

"What the ...? What's going on?" Siani said in confusion, finding it very hard to talk. She twisted around to face the Shangs. Astonished to see them looking frozen, Siani was startled when a bunch of people suddenly arrived in the corridor, seemingly from nowhere.

Panicking, Siani did the first thing that came to her head. She lit the corridor as bright as she could with her gift. Unfortunately though, when her gift reached the people, it gave off an explosion-like sound and blinded Siani with white light. Pain making her cover her eyes, Siani had the sensation of falling and hitting the ground.

When the light cleared, Siani was not in the hall anymore, she was in a grassy reserve. In the distance a few high rise buildings could be seen and there was a power line a few metres over. But Siani didn't see any of this, she was already unconscious.


	2. Chapter 1: Introducing Rae

This is the first chapter, it's set a few years after the prologue. 

Eowyn

Disclaimer: In this story, only Siani and anyone in the non-Tortall world are owned by me. Everyone and every place else belongs to Tamora Pierce, and I am not trying to offend her in anyway.

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Blind, fifteen year old Rae (short for Raegan) worked her way down the stairs, holding tight to the handrail. Positioned at the bottom of the stairs, on the underside of the rail, a small star was carved out of the wood. This gave Rae the knowledge that she had reached the foot of the stairs, and as always, when she felt it under her fingers gave a sigh of relief. No more stumbling down!

Walkng directly across the loungeroom where a path had been cleared for her, Rae bumped into someone.

"Whoa, sorry Rae," a familier voice said, solid hands steadying her. It was Rae's adopted father. You see, Rae was found a couple of years ago, unconsious in a park. She had no identification on her, and no one came forward to claim her as their child. So Rae officially became an orphan, and was sent to a group home. Rae was officially adopted by Aidan and Katrina Williamstwo years ago. It was they who also called her Raegan.

"Where are you going?" asked Aidan and, unknown to Rae, glanced at the cuckoo-clock on the wall. "Its almost eight at night."

"Oh, I was just gonna walk down to Corrie and Meghan's place. Y'know it's just down the road. They've got all these new CDs, and I really, really wanna hear them." replied Rae, pleading.

"Fine, Rae. Just tell those twins you gotta be back by 9:30."

Shivering as she walked down the street, Rae ran her hand along the fence, counting the amount of gates. At gate number four, Rae felt an icy wind blow, almost feeling like it was blowing through her. A hand roughly grabbed her arm and started yanking. With a resounding yell, Rae claimed her arm back, hitting out wildly in the direction of someone's breathing. A pain shot through her fist as it made contact with something hard and bony, Rae had a feeling it was someone's chin. The sound of running footsteps grew fainter, and Rae was by her self again.

Hopelessly lost, Rae pushed back a bit of hair she could feel tickling her face, trying to regain her sense of direction. Normally, Rae's was very, very good, but that was usually not after she'd just fought with someone. She didn't know how long she just stood there, trying to work out what to do, when loud footsteps came up to her.

"Why are you just standing there, Rae? Are you lost?" Rae's best friend, well one of, Meghan had come to rescue her. "Are you OK, Rae? You are covered in dust and your hair is all over the place. One of your knuckles is bleeding too."

"I'm OK, just someone grabbed me, and I hit them, and...and now I'm really lost." To Rae's embarrassment the last few words came out in a sob.

"Well that's good then, we'll be able to tell who it was, by the big bruise." Meghan said, tactfully ignoring the sob. She knew quite well, Rae hated crying, she considered it a weakness. "And as for direction, you are facing down the street towards your house. My house is behind you."

"Thanks, Meggie." Rae said gratefully.

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Later, back home safely, Rae pondered the evenings events. Why had someone grabbed her? Should she have hit them? Was it someone she knew, or a stranger? Rae thought about the notion it was someone she knew and they were just trying to be helpful, but dissmissed that quickly. If it was someone she knew why hadn't they said something, and then ran off?

Pushing her questions to the back of her mind to be asked in the morning, Rae drifted off to sleep.


	3. Chapter 2: Rae? or Siani?

Disclaimer: See Chapter One.

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The next day, Rae's adopted mother dropped her off at the front of her school. Rae was a bit early so she sat on the side of the path, to wait for the buildings to be unlocked.

She'd been only sitting there for a couple of seconds when she felt the same icy chill as last night. Jumping to her feet in remembered fright, Rae threw out her arms trying to defend herself from something she couldn't see. Unfortunately all she managed to achieve was to throw herself off balance, crashing forwards onto her stomach at the same time a heavy blow landed on her head. She fought a wave of dizziness, then blacked out.

Blinking slowly, and carefully, as dust and dirt tumbled down her face Rae awoke. Hearing a scuffing sound behind her, she attempted to turn, but her movements were hampered by the fact she couldn't move her hands or feet. Rae had a feeling they were tied together, she could feel something like rope across them, tight enought to be painful.She couldn't even move them forwards or back, giving Rae the idea that they were tied to something else. She simply couldn't move. After exhausting herself, wriggling around, Rae started to scream for help.

"Will ya look at tha',"a rough voice cut into Rae's cries. "'Er 'ighness's awake. An' it's no 'elp, screamin' like that, no one's around t' hear. Y' 'ighness." Rae swallowed her next yell in shock. The voice too had come from behind her. Rae could also hear what sounded like horses hooves, and as she was being bumped around a lot, she assumed she was in a horse drawn vehicle of some sort.

"Why the hell are you calling me 'your highness'?" She demanded, her voice dry and raspy.

"Well if i din't, you'd be insulted. It's y' title, ain't it? Y' a princess." Shaking her head violently, Rae disagreed.

"I'm no princess, I'm just Rae. Now will you let me go?"

For the first time, Rae heard confusion in his voice. "Rae? I was told y' name was Siani."

"Well now you know it's not, would YOU PLEASE LET ME GO!" Rae burst into the tears she had been holding back since she woke up. It was hard enough not being able to see in everyday life but when you've been kidnapped?

"Shuddup! If theys kno' y' awake, they're gonna com' in 'ere." the boy's voice was frantic and rushed, and Rae held back a sob, but it was a bit late, footsteps announced the arrival of two more people, heavy people, by the thumps.


End file.
